THE UK Government’s disastrous HS2 project will now only run from London to Birmingham, with Rishi Sunak set to scrap the Manchester leg, according to reports.
The multi-billion-pound project has been rife with problems and the Prime Minister is expected to cut it back further in a speech to the Conservative conference on Wednesday.
In 2021, the eastern leg of HS2, which was intended to connect to Leeds, was scrapped. And in 2022, the planned link between HS2 and the West Coast Main Line was also binned.
Reports on Monday across multiple news outlets suggested that the Birmingham to Manchester leg was next for the chopping block.
However, No 10 said in a statement that the reports were "incorrect" and no final decision had yet been made.
A drastic cost-cutting exercise could also see it end at Old Oak Common in the capital’s western suburbs, rather than reach its centre at Euston.
Sunak will reportedly instead funnel any funding into other infrastructure projects in the north of England.
Estimates say the train line, which was intended to connect the North to London, has already cost the UK more than £100 billion.
Announced by the last Labour government but then backed by successive Tory administrations, HS2 was given a £55.7 billion budget in 2015 for its route from London to Birmingham with a Y-shaped section to Manchester and Leeds.
Gavin Newlands, the SNP’s transport spokesperson at Westminster, said: "This just confirms that there’s no chance of this Tory UK government ever delivering high speed rail to Scotland, and that none of their promises should ever be taken seriously.
“On the same day the Scottish Government implemented positive developments on the pricing of rail travel, it’s telling that the Westminster Tories confirm they’re scrapping HS2 to Manchester.
"And it's especially telling of their shamelessness that they've done this while they're in Manchester - yet another part of the UK being made to suffer under the failing Westminster system."
On Sunday, Sunak (below) insisted the UK is not a “laughing stock” as he failed to announce a decision on whether HS2 will ever reach Manchester as he visited the city for the Tory party conference.
The Prime Minister “completely” rejected the allegation from critics, which include leaders across the North as well as predecessors at the top of the Conservatives.
Theresa May had become the latest former premier to urge Sunak not to ditch the Birmingham to Manchester leg.
Following Boris Johnson and David Cameron in warning against abandoning the Manchester leg of HS2, May said it is key to giving more rail capacity on the west coast line.
Tory members are currently congregating in Manchester’s centre for their annual conference, where the party slogan is “long term decisions for a brighter future”.
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove described HS2 as an “important project” but he said “we do need to look at value for money”.
“The costs of this project have been significantly greater than originally estimated,” he told Sky’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.
He also stressed that transport links in the North need to be improved between and within cities, as critics say axing the full HS2 project would jeopardise the levelling up project.
Conservative Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen told a Tory conference fringe event that the “indecision” on HS2 was causing a “distraction” as he urged ministers to commit to Northern Powerhouse Rail.
And Tory mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street made an impassioned last-ditch appeal to Sunak not to cancel the Manchester link.
“You will be turning your back on an opportunity to level up – a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” he told reporters at Tory conference.
“You will indeed be damaging your international reputation as a place to invest.”
Former business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg urged the Prime Minister to cancel the post-Birmingham route and instead put the money towards tax cuts.
“Let’s cut HS2, save the money on HS2, give that back to people just as a starter,” he told Channel 4 News.
